Kittel leader of the pack on the streets of London

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 7: The pack races at the third stage of the 2014 Le Tour de France, a 155km stage between Cambridge and London, on July 7, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Yunus Kaymaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 7: The pack pasts Big Ben at the end of the third stage of 2014 Le Tour de France, a 155km stage between Cambridge and London, on July 7, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Yunus Kaymaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Chris Froome (r) of Great Britain and Team SKY chats to the press at the start of the third stage of the 2014 Tour de France, a 155km stage between Cambridge and London, on July 7, 2014 in Cambridge, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

(From L) Italy's Vincenzo Nibali wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Britain's Christopher Froome wait at the departure village in Cambridge prior to the start of the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 7, 2014 between Cambridge and London, southwestern England. AFP PHOTO / JEFF PACHOUD (Photo credit should read JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images)

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Race leader Vincenzo Nibali (l) of Italy and the Astana Pro Team chats to Chris Froome of Great Britain and Team SKY at the start of the third stage of the 2014 Tour de France, a 155km stage between Cambridge and London, on July 7, 2014 in Cambridge, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Czech Republic's Jan Barta celebrates his combativity prize on the podium at the end of the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 7, 2014 between Cambridge and London, southwestern England. AFP PHOTO / ERIC FEFERBERG (Photo credit should read ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images)

Riders enter Parliament Square as they head towards the finish of the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 7, 2014, between Cambridge and London. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images)

Spectators watch as riders enter Parliament Square heading towards the finish of the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 7, 2014, between Cambridge and London. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Crowds cheer as cyclists competing in the Tour de France pass through Parliament Square at the end of the race's third stage on July 7, 2014 in London, England. The first three stages of the Tour de France have taken place in England. After traveling through Yorkshire on the first two days, today's stage runs from Cambridge to London, finishing on The Mall. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

Britain's Christopher Froome waits at the departure village in Cambridge prior to the start of the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 7, 2014 between Cambridge and London, southwestern England. AFP PHOTO / JEFF PACHOUD (Photo credit should read JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images)

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Race leader Vincenzo Nibali (l) of Italy and the Astana Pro Team chats to Peter Sagan of the Czech Republic and Cannondale at the start of the third stage of the 2014 Tour de France, a 155km stage between Cambridge and London, on July 7, 2014 in Cambridge, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Marcel Kittel (C) of Germany and Team Giant-Shimano sprints to victory in stage three of the 2014 Le Tour de France from Cambridge to London on July 7, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Marcel Kittel (C) of Germany and Team Giant-Shimano sprints to victory in stage three of the 2014 Le Tour de France from Cambridge to London on July 7, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Crowds cheer as cyclists competing in the Tour de France pass through Parliament Square at the end of the race's third stage on July 7, 2014 in London, England. The first three stages of the Tour de France have taken place in England. After traveling through Yorkshire on the first two days, today's stage runs from Cambridge to London, finishing on The Mall. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Peter Sagan of Slovakia and Cannondale takes the podium after defending the best young rider's white jersey in stage three of the 2014 Le Tour de France from Cambridge to London on July 7, 2014 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Germany's Marcel Kittel (L) celebrates as he crosses the finish line ahead of Slovakia's Peter Sagan (R) at the end of the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 7, 2014 between Cambridge and London, southwestern England. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE (Photo credit should read LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)

France's Cyril Lemoine (L) wearing the best climber's polka dot jersey, and Italy's Vincenzo Nibali (C) wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey and Slovakia's Peter Sagan wearing the best sprinter's green jersey wait at the departure village in Cambridge prior to the start of the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 7, 2014 between Cambridge and London, southwestern England. AFP PHOTO / JEFF PACHOUD (Photo credit should read JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images)

Amateur cyclists are pictured in front of the gate of the 'Fan Park' at the Green Park in London, on July 7, 2014, during the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race between Cambridge and London, southwestern England. AFP PHOTO / ERIC FEFERBERG (Photo credit should read ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images)

Amateur cyclists are pictured in front of the gate of the 'Fan Park' at the Green Park in London, on July 7, 2014, during the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race between Cambridge and London, southwestern England. AFP PHOTO / ERIC FEFERBERG (Photo credit should read ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images)

YORK, ENGLAND - JULY 06: Mikel Nieve of Spain and Team Sky ride looks on at the racecourse during stage one of the 2014 Tour de France from Leeds to Harrogate on July 6, 2014 in York, United Kingdom. (Photo by Scott Mitchell/teamsky.com via Getty Images)

People looks at the 155 km third stage of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race on a giant screen at the 'Fan Park' at the Green Park in London, on July 7, 2014 between Cambridge and London, southwestern England. AFP PHOTO / ERIC FEFERBERG (Photo credit should read ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images)

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By Martyn Herman

(Reuters) - Germany's Marcel Kittel produced another show of raw power to win his second stage of this year's Tour de France on Monday, storming down The Mall for a comfortable victory.

With his Giant-Shimano team setting a searing pace at the front of the peloton as it snaked around some of London's most well-known landmarks, Kittel burst to the line at the end of the 155-km third stage, a flat run from Cambridge.

Slovakia's Peter Sagan was second with Australian Mark Renshaw, Omega Pharma-Quick Step's main sprinter in the absence of Mark Cavendish who crashed out on Saturday, third.

While Kittel tightened his early grip on the sprinters' green jersey, Italian Vincenzo Nibali will wear the yellow one as the race leaves Britain for France after one of the most memorable starts in its history.

Nibali, one of the biggest threats to Britain's reigning champion Chris Froome, finished comfortably in the pack to retain his two-second lead.

Despite losing nearly 20 minutes in the overall standings during a brutal day of climbing in Yorkshire on Sunday, Kittel crosses the Channel with fond memories of Britain, having also won a bunch sprint in Harrogate on Saturday.

With the chimes of Big Ben ringing out and thousands of people watching, many of them office workers enjoying extended lunch breaks, Kittel's performance just around the corner from Buckingham Palace was impeccable.

"My job was 500 meters long but the biggest fight was already over," the 26-year-old, who took his total of Tour stage wins to six, said of the work of his team mates.

"Because of the rain, everybody was scared. But I didn't let myself be disturbed and it's a great day for us."

After two dramatic days in the spectacular scenery of Yorksire, Monday's stage was a chance for the peloton to take stock and conserve some energy as the race meandered around the Essex countryside in pleasant sunshine.

There were still incidents, though, and 2010 winner Andy Schleck crashed on the approaches to the city.

"I was very unlucky, it was not even raining," the Luxembourg rider, who is two minutes 24 seconds behind the race leader, said. "One guy moved from the left to the right and I could not really avoid him and went straight down at high speed.

"I lost a bit of skin on the road. On the right side, on the arm, the hip and the ribs. I guess it was my own fault."

Frenchman Jean-Marc Bideau, who was in the sole breakaway with Czech Jan Barta, won the day's intermediate sprint.

They were both reeled in as the race reached central London.

The Tour moves into France on Tuesday with a 163.5-km stage from Le Touquet to Lille.